The shortest month of the year will also be one of the most spectacular for heaven observers. There are several astronomical events during February, but one of the most remarkable is the Snow Moon, which will be visible.
The next full moon, known as the Snow Moon, will occur in mid-February. The Snow Moon is called that because February is historically the month with the most snow in the Northern hemisphere. The Cherokee tribe also called it the Bone Moon and Hunger Moon due to the shortage of food in the snow.
The full moon of February, known as the “Snow Moon”, is traditionally associated with cold weather and snow on the ground in the northern latitudes. The celestial body, which is the second most brilliant object after the sun, will reach its maximum lighting. The full moon is when the moon appears as a complete circle in the sky. The moon does not produce its own light, so this only occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth to the sun, which means that the entire visible side of the moon is completely illuminated.
In 2025, this heavenly show will reach its maximum point on Wednesday, February 12. According to specialized media information, the Snow Moon will shine with all its intensity at 2:53 pm while in the constellation of Leo, near the brightest star of this star group: Regulus. This constellation, visible in much of the northern hemisphere during this time, adds a special touch to the event, since its position in the sky facilitates its observation from various regions of Mexico.
Although the maximum point will be in the afternoon, the best opportunity to enjoy this show will be during the night, when the full moon dominates the sky. Do not worry if it is cloudy or clear when it reaches its maximum point: it will continue to fill throughout the next night. One of the advantages of the Snow Moon is that no specialized equipment is required to appreciate it. Just look for a place with clear skies and get away from the city’s lights to enjoy it to the fullest.
The Snow Moon follows a 7-planet planetary parade aligned, which will improve even more during the first week of the month, when the moon joins the show. Saturn, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars can be observed with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will require the use of telescopes. The names of full moons are usually attributed to American native tribes that gave them nicknames to keep a record of them, since they did not register the time using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar.
Most names were linked to a specific event; for example, the Worm Moon is related to a time of the year in which the ground begins to defrost and the worms can climb to the surface. It was thought that other moons, such as the Blood Moon, were caused by jaguars that attacked the moon and left it bleeding, hence the red color. These lunar systems and their names differ among the tribes, but it seems that the colonial Americans adopted some of these names and incorporated them into their own calendar systems.
Do not worry, in case you miss the Snow Moon, the following full moon can be seen just over a month later. The Worm Moon will occur in the early hours of March 14.